Spottswoode Estate Winery
"As stewards of our land, we pursue an elegant, balanced, and age-worthy style."
Novak Family
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The roots of today's Spottswoode Estate in St Helena in the Napa Valley go back to 1872, when German settlers originally bought land for a summer residence and planted their first vines.
This was followed by other owners, the construction of the now restored Victorian-style house - and, above all, Prohibition, which more or less dried up viticulture as a whole.
The estate was awakened from its "slumber" by the Novak family from San Diego. Mary and Jack and their five children moved to St. Helena in 1972, acquired additional adjoining acreage and began replanting. When Jack passed away at the age of only 44, Mary carried on, harvesting her first crop and selling grapes to surrounding vintners. Ten years later, winemaker Tony Soter came on board. The 1982 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was the first wine. A few years later, Spottswoode Estate found itself in the Wine Spectator's top 100 wine list.
As organic pioneers, Mary and Tony began to farm sustainably in the mid-80s. The farm has been certified since 1992. The approximately 17 hectares at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains have loamy alluvial soils and are mainly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc.
Today, Spottswoode Estate is run by Mary's daughter Beth Novak Milliken, assisted by sister Lindy Novak.
© Images: Spottswoode Estate